news

August 16, 2016

We are back! Summer's almost over but we have an excellent new batch of releases ready for you. All in very limited quantities, so act fast if you want one! Samples and descriptions below, as well as paypal options. Be seeing you!

Check out all the sounds here:

TD83Yerba Mansa/Open SexC47

Two killer duos share a tape and your head will be all the
better for it.Side A is Yerba Mansa,
featuring Edwin (guitars) and Andrew (drums) from the UK’s best band
Desmadrados Soldados de Ventura.Obliterating psych-shred jammage heavily influenced by North African
modalities and designed to hypnotize/mesmerize to infinity.Side B is Open Sex, featuring Tyler Damon
(drums) and John Dawson (tapes etc).Springing from the wilds of Indiana and several larger ensembles, this
duo stirs it up in droned out style with loads of trippy goodness and glorious
epiphanies around every corner.The
answer lies within.

TD84Parashi - The Green LionCDR

Return visit from Tape Drift alum and jammer deluxe Mike
Griffin’s solo project.If you’ve ever
seen a live solo set, witnessed Griffin’s contributions to Burnt Hills, or
zoned out to one of his many collaborative projects, you’ll already know this
is a must have disc.Parashi always
mines a deep, dark vein of electronic noise that is beyond categorization.Each release adds something new and
essential, and this one is no exception.Heavy concepts and even heavier execution are the order of the day, as
Griffin proves he is a true zen master.Blast this one at maximum volume and hold on for dear life!

TD85Error Massage – Nonaggress CDR

To say that we’re excited to be releasing a disc from the
brand new solo project of San Diego’s mighty Glen Galloway would be a massive
understatement.Glen’s been involved
since the early 90’s in various superb outfits including Trumans Water, Soul
Junk, and Octagrape.With a totally
unique and captivating style, his guitar playing, singing and songwriting are
never less than essential.With Error
Massage we get to witness Glen diving deep into experimental noise realms,
using guitar and effects to blow our minds yet again.The results are extraordinary, and you won’t
want to miss this amazing piece to the Galaxy puzzle. Art byMarcello Velho.

April 13, 2016
Tape Drift is excited to announce its newest batch of 3 releases just in time for Spring. We think you will love these items. All in limited release quantities, so let us know soon if you'd like to buy any!

PURCHASE ALL 3 NEW RELEASES AS A BATCH HERE!!!

TD79 Steve Flato - Simulation of Another Thing (CDR)

San
Diego's Steve Flato has released music on a number of great labels including
Kendra Steiner Editions, Copy For Your Records, Lengua de Lava, and his own Abrash
imprint.His Tape Drift debut is a stunning example of Steve's
artistry and laser-like focus.Fascinating sonic details and rich
textures abound, with
acoustic (French horn, tuba and trombone feature heavily) and electronic
elements co-existing to create an endlessly deep well of sound.Much of Flato’s work has explored just
intonation and shimming drone work.The
zones in this disc find him pushing even further outwards, yet somehow with
increased accessibility.It’s a magical
feat, and one that only Steve could pull off with such style and grace.Ruthless editing, superb mastering by Alan
Jones, and obsessive attention to detail pay off with the end result an
incredibly diverse and still fully cohesive *album* in the true sense.

TD80 Five Guitars for Tony Conrad (CDR)

It is with great sadness that we
have to announce this release just after Conrad’s passing.The music world has lost one of the best, and
a massive inspiration to so many. An almost
60 minute set of layered guitar drones from John Bohannon, Tom Carter, Eric
Hardiman, Ray Hare and Michael Hentz.This tribute to drone genius and experimental music luminary Tony Conrad
was recorded live at Issue Project Room in October 2010 as part of a Drone
Marathon Festival alongside Tony Conrad, Sarah
Lipstate (Noveller) & Shahin Motia (Oneida) duo, Bobby Kyle Dunn, Phill
Niblock, Al Margolis, and Marcia Bassett.Previously issued on cassette by the Auasca label in an edition of 65
tapes.Artwork & layout by Michael
Hentz.

TD81 Sunset to the Sea (C60)

Sunset
to the Sea is the collaborative improvised duo of accomplished guitarists Chris
Brokaw (Codeine, Come) and Jeff Barsky (Insect Factory).Their
first release together, this tape documents two live sets from 2014.If you think you know what to expect from these two based on their
previous recordings in various units, think again.Together they weave a heavy and dense magic,
with repetition and depth key characteristics.There’s a bleak dystopian feel in places that recalls the most probing
and exploratory corners of industrial zones, but also a crackly warmth and
humanity that only two skilled improvisers like these could add.Dark and hypnotic in the best way possible.

SEPT. 28, 2015 - THREE NEW RELEASES!!

Tape Drift springs back into action with three releases we're very excited to share with you. Hope you will consider checking these out. As always, a batch deal will get you all three at reduced price! Let us know if you have any questions.

PURCHASE ALL 3 NEW RELEASES AS A BATCH HERE!!!

TD76 Matt Weston - Skate for the Lie C26

First solo release on Tape Drift from
master percussionist and improv genius Matt Weston.Those who have caught Matt’s stunning live
sets will know what he is capable of at the drum kit, but this release goes so
much further.Combining new elements
with old, Matt has crafted a tape that will intrigue and captivate listeners
with its unique brand of sonic magic.Instrumental prowess, improvisation, and incredible composition skills
combine in one perfectly realized release.The amazing b-side is an absurdly epic track moving through its various
parts with total grace and skill – perhaps the most ambitious Weston piece to
date, and that’s saying quite a lot!

TD77 Rambutan - Liquid World Vol.1 C32

Five previously
unreleased Rambutan tracks all prominently featuring the guitar.The flip is a sidelong exercise in droned-out
guitar feedback.The first in a series
of Rambutan releases on Tape Drift.Collect
em’ all!

TD78 Twilight of the Century - Live at WCDB cdr

Archival live
recording from the rarely active but always thrilling quartet of Mike Bullock,
Linda Aubry Bullock, Ray Hare, and Eric Hardiman.Invited to record a live-to-radio set in the
studio of Albany’s WCDB station in 2009, the group went full-bore into heavy improv
noise-doom mode.Sizzling fuzz leads, twin
doom bass action, assorted droning electronics and anguished vocals collide to
make this an almost hour-long fearless descent into heavy darkness.

JUNE 23, 2015 - TWO NEW RELEASES!

We're back. Thrilled to be announcing the first mini-batch of 2015! Both of these releases are very special and we hope you will dig them as much as we do here at Tape Drift!

TD74PUBLIC SPEAKING – MOUNTAINMURALS C52

Tape Drift is very excited to be releasing this tape from Public
Speaking, the solo project of Brooklyn’s Jason Anthony Harris.Following up on his “Blanton Ravine” LP and
CD for Fabrica Records, "MOUNTAINMURALS" see Harris switching gears
to produce an album of abstract instrumental music. It was made almost entirely with
electronically manipulated household objects that have been processed,
stretched and treated to evoke the immensity of natural phenomena -
earthquakes, asteroids, volcanoes, lightning, tsunamis, floods, hurricanes,
mudslides, snowstorms, avalanches, etc. - and their ever-carving, sculptural
violence. Man mirrors and intensifies this destructive reshaping of his
environment through architecture, manufacturing, waste, art, and war - a
disastrous amplification of the volatile "natural" forces.

TD75SWELTER – LIVE IN LOWELL cdr

Swelter indeed.A hot slab
of collaborative psychic summer energy burn from two of the finest
experimentalists in North America – Howard Stelzer and David Payne
(Fossils).Two-man howl of shredded
tapes and analog junk recorded live in August 2014 in Lowell, MA, the music on this
disc is all about texture, sizzle and feel.It would be folly (and beside the point) to pick out individual
contributions, as both voices blend superbly into a single slab of sound.When
the music is this good, it’s far better to sit back, let the sound wash over
you and experience the ultimate sonic catharsis.A dense and even psychedelic mind scrubbing
that offers multiple epiphanies and aesthetic rewards.New details emerge with each listen, but it’s
the overall immersive effect that will pull you back in time and time
again.Like entering a new world where time and space
have collapsed and all that remains is the beautiful abyss.

DEC. 15, 2014 - TWO NEW RELEASES!!

We are excited to announce the last batch of 2014, with two special releases. You can purchase separately or together for a special batch rate. Also, stay tuned in 2015 for lots more exciting releases!

Burnt Hills - Slip Through Time 2CDR (TD72)

A special massive release from Albany’s finest underground
legends.After a slew of limited vinyl
releases, this is the very first edited volume of Burnt Hills music, with track
selections personally selected and excerpted from weekly recordings made deep in
the basement of the legendary Helderberg House.Sprawling heavy guitars, throbbing bass pulses, electronics, xylophone,
vocals, and a pummeling pair of drummers create instant zones of ragged intensity.Music made with pure joy,
this release is two and a half hours of undiluted raw energy.Limited edition release, do not let this pass
you by!

Derek Rogers / Rambutan - split C62 (TD73)

It’s been several years since these two shared a tape
release (2008’s split on Existential Cloth Recordings being the last), and
their reunion here is cause for celebration.Derek offers a side of deep electronic experimentation, with sounds
ranging from sparse and foreboding forays into outer space to meditative and
hypnotic drones.Pushing forward with
each new release, Derek always delivers the musical goods, and we are proud to
have him back on Tape Drift again.On
the b-side Rambutan offers up five new pieces following last year’s LP on
Fabrica Records. Each track showcases a
different side of the Rambutan puzzle. With special art design by our good
friend Darto, it all adds up to an essential tape for your collection.

NEW BATCH for AUGUST 2014!!

Three brand new releases for a bundled and discounted rate. See below for descriptions, photos, and audio samples.

Ashtray Navigations - Aero Infinite C30 (TD69)

Rounding out the label’s round of hero worship, this tape arrives from one
of our original sources of label inspiration (with the other pillars being
Simon Wickham-Smith and Campbell Kneale). It’s almost impossible to
overstate the importance of Phil Todd’s Ashtray Navigations project to our own
personal sonic journey, so being able to release this brand new set of tunes is
pure joy. All the Ashtray Navigations elements you know and love are
present, but something feels new and fresh here – it could be the way the
synths and guitars blend with perfection, the full-on obliteration of time, the
trippy intensity of each maximalist moment, or the fearless exploration of new
zones. Whatever it is, the best solution is full surrender. Aero
Infinite is more than just another addition to a massively quality back catalog
– it’s an essential new step forward.

Grant Smith - Exploding Diseases cdr (TD70)

A reissue of a long-forgotten disc from Edinburgh’s Grant Smith, this release
represents a huge honor for Tape Drift. When Grant gave us a copy of the
original, we knew it deserved a wider audience, and begged for a reissue.
Perhaps better known for his guitar work with the mighty (and criminally low
profile) Muscletusk, Smith’s solo electronics here focus on tonal excavations
into the deep dark caverns of bass sound. Overlapping tones float forth
from oscillators while rotors and buzzing noises provide sonic markers for the
listener. The sense of timing is impeccable, with each element perfectly
placed and nothing more than necessary included. Full immersion at high
volume is recommended, though be forewarned - it may lead to immediate
hypnosis, disorientation and psychic epiphany. It’s that
good.

Rambutan+Parashi - Monomania C32 (TD71)

The second collaborative release from upstate NY’s Rambutan and Parashi
projects, following the 2012 “Lesser Halogens” tape on SicSic. Mike
Griffin (Parashi) and Eric Hardiman (Rambutan) bring forth
another mesmerizing set of improvised sounds. Hazy layers
of sonics drift and collide, leaking corrosive acid trails behind
them. The essence of monomania lay in its pathologically exaggerated
focus; on this tape, Hardiman and Griffin forgo insanity but maintain
a uniquely single-minded vision throughout.

Rambutan - Pyramid for the Blind C30 (TD68)

A thirty minute blast from the unreleased archives of
Rambutan.Treading in perhaps noisier and
more scuzzed-out zones than usual, these two sides offer a side excursion from
recent releases.Meant to be played loud
for full immersion.Extremely limited
edition.

NEW BATCH DEAL! TD65-67 available now!

Insects
Waiting – Nonsense Codes, Vol. 1 C30 (TD65)

First set of tape mangling duo improv
jams from the UK-US partnership of Edinburgh’s Euan Currie (Dead Labour
Process) and Eric Hardiman (Rambutan).Features material from a live set recorded at a sweltering Scottish
afternoon show in June 2013.At points
jarring and bewildering, at others hypnotic and trippy.Like a sonic moebius strip, motifs repeat and
twist inwards leaving the listener to piece together the dangling strands of
internal logic.Sound collage and beer vs.
telly and a tennis match, and the results on this tape suggest the winner was
clear.

YouTube Video

ParashiMAbH
– s/t C40 (TD66)

Two Stunned alum (Mike
Griffin/Parashi and Peter Taylor/Mortuus Auris and the Black Hand) team up for
the second US-UK collaborative effort in this batch.Following a night of strategic planning in a
London pub, Griffin and Taylor traded files by mail for this killer duo
project.Combining the mysterious and
otherworldly industrial noise of Parashi with MAbH’s deep drones and intricately
layered sounds results in a nearly indescribable aural journey that goes from
soothing and tranquil to ominous and bleak with multiple zones in between.Two masters at work prove that geographic
distance is no barrier to musical mind-melding.

YouTube Video

Millions
– It’s Always There C42 (TD67)

Intensely heavy and visceral power
drones comingle with moments of jaw-dropping sonic beauty on this second TD
release from Brooklyn’s Dave Suss and his solo project Millions.A keen sense of timing and total mastery over
every texture is evident, as Suss drops us into the dark caverns of his alien
sound world.Meant to be played loudly
for the fullest immersion effect possible, this is dense, rich and deeply transporting
music.Dive in and let Millions be your
guide on a cathartic and ecstatic journey into the depths.

YouTube Video

NITE LITE - Pepper People C20 (TD64)

Tape Drift is thrilled and honored to present this heartfelt
missive from the West Coast, highlighting the wonderfully strange music of Phil
and Myste French, proprietors of the famed and influential Stunned Records
label (RIP). Featuring not only music but also art and packaging by Phil
and Myste, this is a very special release for Tape Drift and one that can be
considered our own tribute to a label that has inspired us for years, and has
supported so many acts in the DIY tape world. It looks, sounds, and feels like
a tiny remembrance of the days when a package of Stunned tapes arriving in the
post was better than a holiday. Musically, Nite Lite pushes even further
into the development of their own unique sound world showcased so well on the
“Megrez” LP for Desire Path Recordings. Various field recordings blend
with tiny percussive figures, tapes, and drones to create an organic and
seamless whole that is both mysterious and magical in its transportational powers.
As with everything Phil and Myste have had a hand in, this tape is a
meticulously crafted thing of beauty, and essential in every way.

LUCIERNAGA - Land of 4 Corners cdr (TD63)

First Tape Drift outing from Luciernaga, the alias of Joao
Da Silva, founder and co-owner of Fabrica Records. This new disc follows in the
footsteps of the excellent “Plays Propaganda Songs” cd on Fabrica, and a series
of self-released cassettes. In Mapudungun, the language of the Mapuche people
of Chile and Argentina, Meli Wixan Mapu translates as “Land of Four Corners.”
And so begins the journey… Taking its title from an essential concept within
Mapuche cosmology, on “Land of Four Corners” Luciernaga attempts to capture,
through dense and hazy dream-like pieces, the scents, sounds and emotions
experienced through travel (both real and imagined) in the “four corners” of
the world. The sounds make their way from the meditative ambience of processed
voices and multi-layered festive ceremonial drumming to ominous and somber
drones. It all ends at dusk, looking to the West… a harsh and confused place. Land
of Four Corners was created using voice, shruti box, am/fm radio, and heavily
processed, distorted and manipulated field recordings made throughout New York,
Istanbul and Santiago de Chile. Luciernaga’s music carries the listener to
foreboding and dark places, but always with a calm and assured sense of dignity.
The first 25 copies of the disc ordered from the label will include a special lino cut print by the artist!

**Distributed Item**

CHALAQUE - Sounds From the Other Ideology LP (Golden Lab)

We are very excited to have a small handful of
copies of this just-released LP on Golden Lab.It features the heavy trio power psych shred of Nick Mitchell on guitar,
Eric Hardiman on bass, and Pascal Nichols on drums, recorded live in Salford,
UK earlier this year.A few reviews of
the LP will give you a better idea what it’s all about:

“Mitchell plays in a wild,
wailing style that crosses the Beyond The Material Sky-isms of Billy TK’s
Powerhouse work with the nagging blues tropes of Bill Orcutt and the
proto-metal appeal of Sonny Sharrock circa Last Exit while Hardiman and Nichols
play it like goddamn Motorhead, rocking out on endless two-chord garage punk
dunts that are more Crushed Butler than Rangda. Seriously some of the
best/wildest avant rock six string excess to come out of the UK since, what,
Smoke Jaguar” David Keenan, Volcanic Tongue“Nick Mitchell SHREDS THE FUCK OUT on his guitar,
as if he was trying to use the six-string instrument to drain the life energy
from everybody in the room, while Hardiman and Nichols add to the festival of
destruction, ripping massive pieces of flesh with every single note and drum
hit they make… It’s one of the most uncompromising, pedal-to-the-metal, burning
and scratching psychedelic rock albums of this year. If not THE most extreme
one. Highly recommended.” Weed Temple“Look out! Sounds From the Other Ideology is coming
for your head. There is nothing which will mitigate its raw, psych fury from
permeating your consciousness… Every so often, a release comes around that
makes one smile and remember the reason they love music… Holy indica! Straight
from trichome heaven, Sounds From the Other Ideology joins Astral Body Electric
as my jams of the year.” Honest Bag“With its lo-fi recording and improvisational
nature, Sounds From the Other Ideology has a clearly wild, chaotic quality to
it that gives it a sense of immediacy and intensity. Never does it sound
directionless or self indulgent, as can often happen in performances of this
nature, it instead uses the sonic warts and technical limitations to its best
advantage. When things get messy, it is glorious, but things never go too far
out of hand, and the group always manages to reign (sic) things in
brilliantly.” brainwashed.com

Twilight of the Century - Hibernation C62 (TD62) - OUT NOW!

First available recordings of this long-running (yet rarely
playing) improvisational unit, consisting of Ray Hare, Mike Bullock, Linda
Aubry Bullock, and Eric Hardiman. Coming together in 2008 as a one-off
merger between Century Plants and Rise Set Twilight, TOC quickly took on a life
of its own, with each of the four members providing a unique voice and set of
experience. This tape showcases a single session, with the group creating
4 epic tracks that range from hauntingly atmospheric to menacing and ominous,
with countless stopping points in between. Mysterious synth textures,
Linda's treated voice, Ray's guitar and inimitable vox, and dueling doom-laden
yet contemplative bass riffs from Mike and Eric are the core ingredients, and
together they form a whole that defies description. Features cover art by Stunned Records' Myste French. Dig in!

OLDER NEWS:
January 2013

MV&EE w/ the Golden Smokehound - Helderberg Haze
C60 (TD61)

Scorchingly beautiful live basement set from Matt and Erika, this time traveling with fantastic drummer the Golden Smokehound. Recorded in summer 2012 at the Helderberg House in Albany, NY. A choice night from a trio directly tuned into every lunar twist and turn, beaming magic soundwaves straight to us here on earth. From Matt's delicately picked acoustic guitars to Erika's otherwordly lapsteel to multiple fuzz-laden cascades of inspiration to a perfect Dylan cover, MV and EE shared their journey with a few friends lucky enough to sit and be hypnotized. We thought it'd be a crime not to share this cosmic music further. So for those unable to make it, this release captures the whole show on glorious analog tape. Free your mind and let the sound wash over you.

CENTURY PLANTS - s/t (Tape Drift, 2012)

Century Plants deliver the goods here with a one-sided
live LP (limited to 100 copies) that is a tribute/homage to British hardcore
legends Discharge. A heartfelt and very sincere love letter to the punk
spirit of 1982 if you will. It’s a fitting concept, given that Century
Plants member Ray Hare was part of that original era, as the lead singer for
Washington DC’s Deadline. In fact, Hare’s deep roots in the punk scene
(he appears on the seminal “Flex Your Head” LP) make his vocal homage to
Discharge even more appropriate. Musically, Century Plants have updated
the sound of 81/82, with a fully improvised approach, fuzz-drenched feedback,
and lyrics that draw on several different Discharge songs. Most importantly,
the spirit of blistering political dissent and anti-authoritarianism shines
through, with Hare snatching Discharge concepts and phrases at will. It
all captures the energy and sonic assault of punk, yet filtered through
modern-day noise, drone, and DIY strategies as well. A unique item in
their catalog, this is the second vinyl appearance for Albany, NY’s Century
Plants, following a split LP with Locrian. Usually a duo (Eric Hardiman
and Ray Hare), Century Plants are joined for this record by drummer Phil
Donnelly. The three also play together as part of the singularly sprawling
improv psych rock unit Burnt Hills. Rather than continuing the
ominous dronescapes of the split with Locrian, in this live recording Century
Plants offer an intensely rockist track, melding several of their core
influences (psych rock, punk, noise, and even dub) into one seething, energetic
track. Upstate Violence/Upstate Control? PLAY LOUD!

$12 ppd in the US. Email for international rates (hardiman04 AT gmail). Paypal to same address.

OCTOBER 2, 2012 --A brand new batch of TAPE DRIFT goodies is ready for your eyes and ears. It's a fantastic collection of music, please consider supporting the label and buying something!

TD55 through TD59 are here!

To buy copies, please email (hardiman04 AT gmail). $6
each ppd in the US, or save by buying all 5 for $25!

Email for
international rates. All of these are limited edition items.

(TD55) soundBarn - "The Gunpowder Conspiracy" cdr

Second TD outing from this upstate NY pair of
deconstructionists.Lail and Weklar
continue in their quest to explore the outer realms of the guitar.Drawing their name from the cavernous
reverberating room where they record, these two tackle the challenge of making
their guitars sputter, snarl and growl in tandem.The resulting textures are thick, dark and
ominous, with smoky trails of feedback framing a journey into sound
itself.The clanging metallic scrapes of
Russell/Morley and Moore/Ranaldo are the starting points, yet these two extend
the path into infinity.

(TD56) Josh Mason/Nathan McLaughlin - "3440" split C40

A stunning split tape from two of our very favorite new
discoveries here at Tape Drift.Both
sides are spellbinding in their displays of restraint, silence, pure focus and
minimalism.Conceptually pure, it’s an
homage to the Teac 3440 reel-to-reel machine, referencing the technology that
both Mason (Florida) and McLaughlin (Minnesota) use to provide tactile sonic
elements to their work.Mason opens the
split with a sparse and very gentle approach that is equally focused on melody,
texture, and detail. Tape loops comingle with hushed guitars and background
noise to lull us into pure relaxation and meditation zones.On the flip, McLaughlin explores reel-to-reel
technologies, with room sound and concrete sources occasionally interspersed
with banjo and guitar.This tape is like
nothing else in our catalog, and its magic power is undeniable.

(TD57) Derek Rogers-"Everything That Mattered, At Once" C30

Another visit from TD alum Derek Rogers is cause for
celebration.In the intervening years
since “Petit Chapeau”, Rogers has made an indelible mark on the DIY/drone
worlds, showing a growth and development only possible with someone who takes
their craft this seriously.This tape is
a perfect distillation of Derek’s gently overdriven melodic sensibilities.Ever patient, he masterfully wraps his sounds
in soft blankets of fuzz that cascade over the listener until the known world
disappears and all that’s left is a gorgeous landscape of sonic majesty.Essential listening.

(TD58) Talk West - "Old Wired Fault" C30

Solo recordings on 12-string acoustic, pedal steel, and
electronics from Dylan Golden out of Tulsa, Oklahoma.There’s a decidedly dust-bowl feel at play
here, with Dylan demonstrating a keen attention to texture, space, and his
relationship to his instruments.Moments
of rust-bitten finger-picked blues are interspersed with gorgeous ambient
lapsteel drifting into outer space.And
while the musical geography is midwestern at its heart, there’s also an
incredible universality in the harmonic and melodic language Dylan has
crafted.Beautifully emotional sounds
that cover so much ground you’ll find yourself wondering how you ever lived
without this tape.

(TD59) Mensheviks - s/t cdr

Debut release from the Albany-based quartet of Matt
Weston (percussion), Ray Hare (vocals, electronics), Mike Griffin
(electronics), and Eric Hardiman (electronics).Individually these four have years of experience navigating the waters
of improvisational sound creation.Collectively they enter new zones of mystery and confusion together,
with each bizarre twist and turn becoming as important as the narrative
itself.Moments of restraint and
attentive listening abound as the complex intersections of sound slowly build
to dense peaks, and a cohesive horizon emerges.A live recording from the Upstate Artists Guild, this is hopefully the
first of many fine releases from Mensheviks.

March 25, 2012 - NEW BATCH! Each item is $6 ppd in the US. Please email for international rates.

Special US rate for the entire batch = $22 ppd.

Reach us here: hardiman04 AT gmail

(TD51) Pummeler / The North Sea - split C52

This scorcher of a split tape has been sitting in
the Tape Drift vaults for far too long, and it’s high time it sees proper
release.If you’ve been following the
world of underground sound the last few years, you’ll know these folks and know
this tape is mandatory listening. Mikkel Dunkerly’s Pummeler project has
released music on Stunned, Digitalis, Small Doses and more.His side here lives up to the name,
delivering a dense, dark, and rich wall of sound that is highly addictive.Brad Rose, under his North Sea guise, should
also need no introduction.All biases
aside, the North Sea contribution here reigns supreme among his recorded works.Rose uses an arsenal of synth-based equipment
to provide entry into a cavernous funnel of sound that is equally frightening,
gorgeous, and mysterious.

(TD52) The Aleph - s/t C20

Killer mysterious one-off clandestine improvisation
session from four LA-based scene veterans, three of whom are Tape Drift
alums.Derek Rogers, Lee Noble, Alex
Gray, and Charlotte Van Kemmel joined forces to bring to light that which is
both misunderstood and vaguely familiar all at once. Looped and slowed field recordings, tranquil
synth stabs, alien tape loops, phantom rogue female voices, drifting analog
arpeggios – a lush hodgepodge of random sounds that interweave to create a joyous
and rich aural tapestry.These four fearless
denizens of the LA tape world have crafted a magical 20 minute jam that will be
sure to receive endless repeat plays in your household.

(TD53) Noah Coward - "Surname Improvement" cdr

Rounding out the international team on Tape Drift
comes this trio of master musicians from the Ukraine.Tape Drift is thrilled to be able to help
document this fantastic group, featuring member of the Moglass, Riasni Drova
Consort, and other assorted units.Skittering
drums, guitars, and incredible vox add up to far more than the sum of their
parts, as exemplified by their bold and visionary take on the classic “Sally
Free and Easy”.Using song-based
structures merely as a starting point, and veering heavily into free
improvisation realms, the four tracks here are profound explorations into a dark
and swirling organic form of psychedelia that could only have come from the
deepest reaches of the Ukraine.

(TD54) Andy Futreal - "Before Knowing Remembers" cdr

UK-based solo artist Andy Futreal delivers his fifth
release (see others on Sloow Tapes, Harha-askel & Object Tapes) and we
couldn’t be happier about being the ones to put it out.A single piece of sound collage,
incorporating beautiful acoustic guitar, shortwave radio, lapsteel, piano,
assorted other instruments, and field recordings Andy has made during his extensive
travels in Asia, the UK, and the US.The
resulting mix is a fascinating and deeply compelling journey through time, space,
and culture.Sit back, close your eyes
and enjoy this unique auditory ride.

January 27, 2012 - A brand new release to announce! $6 ppd in the US. Please email for international rates.

Reach us here: hardiman04 AT gmail

TD 49 LOCATION ENSEMBLE - s/t

Debut release from this upstate NY guitar ensemble. Seven or eight
guitarists and a rhythm section thundering through a delicious set of
heavily Branca, Ranaldo, and Chatham-inspired pieces. Massed electric
guitars building to ecstatic peaks. No wave, drone, minimalism,
maximalism, it's all in there, but given fresh life. This release
captures one of the group's rare live sets, performing three original
works. Players were Matt Weston, Ray Hare, Thomas Lail, Holland Hopson,
Eric Hardiman, Patrick Weklar, Howard Glassman, Tara Fracalossi, and
Jason Martin.

October 1, 2011 - FIVE New Releases! The biggest batch yet, all in limited editions.

$6
each ppd in the US, email us for international prices. $27 for the
entire batch, ppd, US only. Email for batch rate to international
locations.

Reach us here: hardiman04 AT gmail.com

TD44 Sparkling Wide Pressure/Rambutan - split C52 (SOLD OUT)

Revisiting a superb pairing of like minds that started
many years ago on the Small Doses label, Frank Baugh (Sparkling Wide Pressure)
and Rambutan (Eric Hardiman) again share a release that is more than the sum of
its parts.This time, the strategies are
quite divergent, yet each arrives in a similar state of revery combined with
patient sonic and emotional investigation.Baugh’s guitar work is at its peak here, and after following the SWP
oeuvre very closely over the years, we can safely say this ranks as a shining
and defining moment for his project.The two sides of this tape are psychedelic,
cosmic, haunting, repetitive, and otherworldly in equal parts.

Debut release from this solo minimal electronics project
by Montreal’s Frank Hobo Cubes.Mysterious in theme, this is an excellent side excursion into new realms
for Frank.Hovering tones, pulses, and glitches
reference classic electronic works, but each sound is imbued with a sense of
space and importance, creating a work that stands entirely on its own.Twenty minutes of perfection, and the brevity
is part of the appeal – nothing more is said than is absolutely essential.You’ll find yourself flipping the tape over
and over, eagerly wanting to spend more time in its cavernous sound.

A fascinating journey into sound, with touch points
(suggested or otherwise) in plunderphonics, hip-hop, musique concrete, and
noise.The solo work of NYC denizen Paul
Haney, Rust Worship does not shy away from bold statement, and this tape is no
exception.With an intense focus, Haney achieves
maximum hypnosis in short order. Turntables, tape and electronics combine in new
and dizzying ways.Throughout the 40
minutes, Haney utilizes a dual sense of composition/narrative and noisy abandon
to pull the listener into his soundworld.Recorded in Brooklyn by Tmm
Mulligan.

Second Tape Drift outing from this amazing guitarist, and
we could not be more thrilled with the results. A solo recording from the
depth of winter, isolated in rural Canada. Resulting from a
process-oriented project (improvising every Sunday for a set period of time,
coupled with a companion piece of writing for each track), this one goes deep
in its unique exploration of prepared guitar, tumbling overtones, chord
relationships, hushed ambience, and sheer beauty. All tracks were
improvised in one take, with no editing or overdubs.Pitcher’s full command of the instrument is
never at question, and his tone is instantly recognizable as his own. Yet
there’s no need to show off here – these thoughtful forays into particular
moods/themes are gorgeous, compelling, and highly addictive. Comes with
Pitcher’s original companion essays as a booklet. A fascinating and very
intimate window into the mind of one of today’s most essential improvising
guitarist.

Following a pair of highly praised releases on the sadly
defunct Stunned label, Parashi heads over to Tape Drift to offer this
incredible disc of restrained and yet highly intense minimal electronics.As always, Mike Griffin takes the listener to
unexplored territories, with sonic pieces that will shake your system.Implied drones create a sinister mood, while
crackling electronic rhythms suggest a pulsing system beneath the forces of
gravity.Each sound is careful and
thoughtfully placed, and the end result is a masterpiece of bleak and haunting
power.

soundBarn has been mining the
possibilities of extreme guitar for years, and Tape Drift is thrilled to
present their debut recording. The single long-form track of Valentine finds
the duo creating fields of sonic sprawl that defy easy definition. Recorded
live in their performance space/ studio ata turn of the century, rural, Upstate New York orchard, soundBarn’s
Thomas Lail and Patrick Weklar ply prepared and altered guitars, overprocess
signals and pile loops of sound to orchestrate an arching instrumental tale of
creation and destruction.Weklar and
Lail have been collaborating for over twenty years and were founding members of
Upstate New York’s long-ago post-punk band, The Fauves.This release of Valentine includes cover and
a trifold insert images by artist Tara Fracalossi and soundBarn images by Mark
Lunt, Larissa Tapler and Lail.

From Italy
comes this fantastic disc of guitar/drums explorations and explosive sound
creation.Something started to implode
in summer 2008 but it was initially restrained by other expressions - like
Strongly Imploded - until autumn 2010, when it finally, miraculously, happened.
Francesco Gregoretti, drums, and Maurizio Argenziano, guitar, hailing from Napoli, Italy,
gave life to Oddly Imploded. They come from different projects, mainly One
Starving Day and A Spirale, and now also form the core of the already
successful Strongly Imploded and of the next to come Grizzly Imploded.A firestorm of impassioned music making that
burns with energy, innovation, and hyperkinetic magic. Cover art by Kieron Cropper.

The long-awaited second issue from Upstate NY-Texas
collaborators Eric Hardiman and Derek Rogers.Continuing in the vein of their debut (also on Tape Drift), this disc
finds the duo delving into new rhythmic zones while still building on core
drones that equally mesmerize and fascinate with multiple layers and swirling dub-inspired
tones.Tour-de-force opener “There is
New Truth” suggests these two have spent a good many years listening
obsessively to Dead C records, and who’s gonna argue with that as a pastime? As with their first disc, three long tracks
are offered up.Proving the adage that
geography is no barrier to creative collaboration, the Rogers-Hardiman axis has
hit another one out of the park. Cover
art by Nathaniel Brennan of Cruudeuces and the Ghetto Naturalist Series label.

An hour’s worth of new Rambutan material.Tracks include a range of brand new explorers,
left-field basement experiments, droned out dreamscapes from the archives, and
a couple of items being rescued from obscurity on micro-releases from other
labels.Somehow all the tracks have
congealed together in a logical manner and these represent some of the personal
favorites here at Rambutan HQ.Cover art
by Nathaniel Brennan of Cruudeuces and the Ghetto Naturalist Series label.

Tape Drift is proud to announce its new batch of
releases, a very special “trilogy” of discs.Our most cohesive and inspired batch to date, there’s a unifying element
to these releases, both conceptually and sonically – a celebration of the
guitar.In various ways, the three
artists here demonstrate their unique connections to the instrument and share
from their own deep wells of inspiration.

$6 each ppd in the US, email us for international prices.TD36 Fossils From the Sun "Forever Came Today"

An essential part of the ffts puzzle, this release shows
yet another side to the multi-faceted body of work that Ray Hare (Century
Plants, Burnt Hills, Twilight of the Century, etc) is carving out for us. The
purity of intent, sharp focus, and mood are remarkable here as Ray delivers the
goods on this stunning guitar-focused record.Hypnotic and haunting motifs fade in and out, the ghost of Spacemen 3
are summoned, feedback trails gently coaxed into existence, and the result is a
deeply satisfying and addictive reminder of why the electric guitar remains a mainstay
of modern music.This one harkens back
to the Hare’s solo debut (TD06) in its relatively narrow palette – just electric
guitar and effects.With his inimitable
tone and sense of space, he takes the simplest of tools and uses them to sculpt
incredibly gorgeous pieces of sound that will lodge in your memory.Cover collage art by Thomas Lail, with vellum
inserts and inner photo by Mark Lunt.

Long
overdue for release, this sublime disc is perhaps the single most beautiful
item in the TD catalog.Pitcher has a
long history in music, playing with Christian Kiefer and many others over the
years, but this is surely a landmark career high point.It’s certainly the kind of record others
would dream about making, but never achieve.Aided with incredible subtlety and finesse by a handful of musicians
(including Mike Bullock and Kiefer), Pitcher has created what can only be
defined as a masterpiece.It’s that
good.Inspired by a year spent living in
Spain, this recording captures a magic that is both intangible and joyous in
its beauty.Guitar is the central focus,
but his partners lend so much to the overall sound and communicate so well that
it feels like they’ve been playing together for decades.Never busy, Pitcher leaves room for every
note to breathe, and weaves each unique thread in the record together as only a
master can do.Words fail when trying to
describe music this powerful.Each disc
is housed in a heavy brown paper inside a vellum envelope and has a unique
photograph taken by Pitcher while in Spain.

After
thirty years of guitar and nearly as many as an improviser, Harold Biffen
releases his first-ever recording, a collection of fully realized steel string pieces that straddle the boundary between improvisation and composition.Whether drawing on his classical training or
years spent with abstract electronics, Biffen uses the bare physicality of the
guitar, his two hands, and a pick to create unstable harmonic structures that
cluster, morph, collapse, and reassemble again—though with a
lyricism and rhythmic vitality that will drop as many jaws as it does raise
eyebrows.There are no preparations,
effects, or standard cliches here, just formally inventive constructions that
range from the gorgeously elegiac to the mischievous to the austere and back
again.At times tender, brash, soaring,
and proudly lo-fi, The Wormhole and the Hymn signals the arrival of a major new
voice in the cosmos of post-everything guitar.

Shoot us an email (hardiman04 at gmail.com) if you'd like to purchase anything. Tapes and cdrs are $6ppd in the US. Email for international rates.
(TD34) Inhibitionists - "Lithium Salt Mines" cdr

Solo project from Christian Kann, from Copenhagen, and brains behind the amazing Beard of Snails record label. Ostensibly a "noise" record, this is so much more. It's simply a phenomenal collection of tracks that cohere and make aural sense in a way that most music never will. Every sound is perfectly placed, the timing is impeccable, and the music consistently inspires. Somehow Christian has managed to create a set of mysterious sounds that balance multiple worlds and serve as a lightning rod to the cosmos. Easily one of the best and most welcoming noise records we've heard, but it sacrifices absolutely nothing for its accessibility. Next level indeed.

(TD35) Millions - "Goldmouth" C30

Dave Suss, from NYC, delivers the goods on this tape, using minimalist means to construct two towering sides of stunningly heavy drone. Majestic and beautiful in scope, these are reminiscent of the best of Campbell Kneale's BCM work, and astound with their multiple layers and levels of detail. Suss is a master of his trade, and time suspends itself over and over again while his tapes are in the deck. This is his best yet, and it's a massive winner.

March 26, 2010

5 BRAND NEW releases!! Shoot me an email (hardiman04 at gmail.com) if you'd like to purchase anything. Everything's $6ppd in the US, email for international rates. All editions are very limited!

(TD27) Jeremy Kelly - "Facing Space" C52

Hudson New York’s resident musical genius and all around amazing fellow Jeremy Kelly graces us with a stunning journey through fields of sonic debris like nothing you’ve heard before.Jeremy displays pure mastery here, playing all sorts of instruments and homemade electronics.Deftly navigating elements of noise, black metal, folk, rock, and musique concrete among others, Jeremy delivers a serious and flowing work that truly defies any attempt to pigeonhole.The narrative thread through all of it is his pure delight in sound and the incredibly palpable skill he brings to every moment.The inimitable M. Geddes Gengras helps out on synth too, always a welcome visitor.Heavy and deep in all the right ways and sure to bring hours of delight to your cranium.

(TD28) Lee Noble - "Infinity Bore" C45

Following recent tapes on Existential Cloth Recordings and Bathetic, LA’s Lee Noble offers up his insanely addictive brand of analog synth driven beauty.We were hooked instantly upon hearing this record, and it’s only gotten better upon excessive repeats.Noble approaches his music with pure focus and intensity, yet always suffuses things with a light touch and a sense of wonder.Never opting for showy gimmicks, he uses minimal means to weave his deeply textured magic.This one is heavy and loud in spots, drone-filled in others, and heartbreakingly melodic too.Noble has a patience, sensitivity and compositional prowess that is rare in this sort of music, and his pieces will stick in your head with a magical staying power.Truly a masterpiece.

(TD29) Family Treasures - Altars of Ashes" C45

Having witnessed Danny Moore absolutely mesmerize a roomful of listeners at Amherst College this Fall with a virtuoso display on modular synth and bowed lap steel guitar, we knew the power in this project. A single piece in two parts, this is a sustained conversation between Connecticut’s Danny Moore on analog synth and guitar, and his guest on this tape, Jeffrey Shurdut on alto sax.Together these two tap directly into the cosmos, zapping brainwaves like there was no tomorrow.There’s a refreshing lack of cliché here, and Moore and Shurdut emphasize the spacious and atmospheric as much as the fiery outbursts that might be expected.Sun Ra said it best, and it applies perfectly here - “cosmic tones for mental therapy”.Mastered by Steve Flato.Art by Kieran Cropper.

(TD31) Cruudeuces - "Exile Digs" C30

From Western Mass comes Nathaniel Brennan’s cruudeuces project.We’ve known Brennan for awhile, loved his highly limited self-released tapes, and been floored by his live sets.All the murky and mysterious beauty that he’s come to be known for is on ample display here, as Brennan offers two incredible sidelong communications from his inner zones.There’s really no apt comparison to this music, but trust us – it’s heavy, gritty, hypnotic, organic and meditative all at the same time.This is his finest moment (yet), and it’s a huge special honor for us at Tape Drift to be able to release this.Electronics, tapes, vox, clarinets and other reeds are all in his arsenal, but cruudeuces makes you forget the what and how, just reveling in the sheer majesty of the sound world he creates. Art by Kieron Cropper.

(TD32) Book of Shadows - "Twelve Degree Chandelier" cdr

Yet another chapter from the Texas branch of Tape Drift artists, this is a long in the works disc from the singular mystery troupe Book of Shadows (featuring ST37 founder Carlton Crutcher).Probably the most outright melodic and pretty release on the label yet, this is a fully-formed and compelling record that shimmers with a magic sound all its own.There’s a sense of soft fragility at work, with deep echoes of krautrock past and newer exploratory sounds melding together seamlessly.Female vox nestle up against dark synth drones and forlorn psychedelic guitars in ways that bring to mind Charalambides and other masters of the mystic.An incredibly rich and beautiful collection of music. Art by Kieron Cropper.

TD 22thenumber46 - “bleach and ammonia” C52

Fearlessly exploring new worlds of sound, thenumber46push and coax feedback systems, physically and psychologically, into ultimate audible terrains, extracting sonic extremes from their instruments and themselves. Consisting of Suzanne Thorpe on flute and electronics and Philip White on electronic feedback, the duo improvise on the precipice of unpredictable sounds, exploiting the volatile and explosive in their music. Thorpe was a founding member of Mercury Rev, plays in The Wounded Knees, and can be heard from time-to-time with J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr., all three of whom she played with at 2009's ATP in England.White’s performances center on a non-linear feedback system with mixer and several homemade circuits. Edition of 100 pro-dubbed yellow cassettes.

TD24 Zanzibar Snails – “Vitiligo” cdr

March 09 recordings from this phenomenal and mysterious Texas group with the ability to hypnotize listeners and create a swirling vortex of magical sound.Occupying some nether territory between collective improv, grainy atmosphere building, and structured chaos, Zanzibar Snails follow in the tradition of the great Texas psych dreamers in their quest for exploration.Vitiligo is the disease than turns the black man white (the most famous case being the macabre Michael Jackson), and the word accentuates the close relationship between darkness and light, luminescence and void, order and entropy.The first Zanzibar full-length to feature vocalist/sound sculptress Sarah Alexander.Amazing silkscreened gatefold sleeves (designed and screened by Nevada Hill) in stamped vellum envelopes.

Noise, drone, psych, pop, doom, and lo-fi crunch collide in this first collaborative effort between Derek Rogers and Eric Hardiman (Rambutan, Century Plants, Burnt Hills). After releasing a searing split tape on the always excellent Existential Cloth Recordings, new frontiers of sonic strategies and challenges laid the framework for this successful long-distance collaboration. Layered sounds that build and decay, walls of dissonance, and waves of texture crash against each other only to collapse under their own weight: forty-five minutes of heavy and intensely zoned-out sounds. Expect 2010 to be the year Thresholders storm the barn and burn it to the ground.

TD 30Padna – “There are so many fish in heaven, Pt. IV” cdr

After being blown away by Padna releases on the Stunned label this past year, we had no choice but to get in touch with Nat Hawks and beg for a Tape Drift release.Nat was more than happy to offer up this amazing project, part of a series of performance pieces in which he uses intentionally scratched cds as the primary sound source.The trademark Padna attention to detail is on sharp display, and like everything else he’s done, the end result is personal, warm, and immediate.Sound floats in and out of the airspace, glitches and skips become musical phrases, and before long you’ll begin to discover the internal logic of this new language.Hawks has a direct line to some cosmic source, and this masterful composition will allow you to tap in to its power.We’re mighty proud to be releasing this one.Includes liner note insert by Padna.

PREVIOUS RELEASES:

(TD 21) M. Geddes Gengras - "Aural Mimesis" C60. You may know him as half of the Antique Brothers, a quarter of Pocahaunted, or a third of Robedoor, but however you slice things up, they're always better when Ged's involved. Following great releases on Stunned and Digitalis, this tape is the heaviest and most fully realized piece of music Ged has made yet. Topping all expectations by a few thousand miles, We have yet to hear a better record this year. Ged works an alchemical magic here, using modular synth and more traditional instruments to carry us to dizzying new levels of bliss. Undeniably heavy and dark, but also subtle, melodic, and sonically rich. Two complex 30-minute pieces designed for maximum hypnosis that will have you addicted in no time flat. Essential in every sense. Edition of 100, pro-dubbed on purple cassettes.

(TD 23) Andreas Brandal - "Jernvognen" cdr. Established sound artist and drone/noise musician Andreas Brandal graces us with this release from deep in the heart of Norway. Dark and ominous, with deep doom-laden bass tones, powerful drones, and beautiful hints of noise lurking in every corner. Inspired by an old Norwegian crime/ghost story (translated to the "The Iron Wagon"), Brandal's command here is staggering, displaying a control over each sound, and wrapping it all up with an organic feel and sustained attention to compositional dynamics throughout. The immersive sounds are at turns soothing, frightening and probing, suggesting a journey into the abyss, but guided by the confident hands of a sheer master.

(TD 25) Hunting Rituals / Rambutan - "Spirit Wok" split cdr. Canada meets the US in this split pairing from Ontario's Scott Cloud (Hunting Rituals) and upstate New York's Eric Hardiman (Rambutan). Hunting Rituals have demonstrated over the last few years a creative and aesthetic consistency near unmatched in the underground noise/psych/diy scene. Each release Cloud drops into the aether is a gift from some warped and beautiful planet outside of our solar system, and the HR track here is a prime example. Rambutan follows up on recent releases on Digitalis and Stunned with 3 tracks inspired by Cloud's example. Taken together as one dose of aural medicine, the two sides of this split add up to a massive, spacious, and blurry juggernaut of sound that will both heal and transport.

Two different solo sides of the Century Plants puzzle, split across the sides of one joyous tape.Eric Hardiman (Rambutan) and Ray Hare (Fossils From the Sun) take divergent paths here toward the goal of maximum zen brain warp.Drones, tones, blasts of noise, and radio interference from external zones all play a role here, and the end result should verticalize your head just fine.This one is on endless loop in another world we all oughtta visit.

(TD18) Derek Rogers - "Petit Chapeau" C30

Bursting out of Austin TX with more zoned out guitar action than that town can possibly hold, Derek's got the touch of gold with his axe.He's put out a slew of fantastic tapes recently on labels far and wide, and here he offers a glimpse into what makes his work so unique.Cavernous solo guitar that obliterates categories and defies the logic of time.Trippy, hypnotic and ambient at times, scorching and searching at others.A mighty compelling tape that has easily become a personal fave of 2009 here in Tape Drift land.

(TD19) Chapels - "Shadows" C30

Fantastic and utterly inimitable creeper style madness from Adam Richards, king of the House of Alchemy label, and best dude ever.We have no idea where he coaxes these sounds from or what he's doing, but this is a magical tape.Restrained, dark, powerful, ghostly and all-knowing, it's near impossible to deny the mastery that Richards has on display here.The roll call of amazing Chapels releases this year is massive, and this one can sit comfortably high atop the pack.You won't be able to describe this music or pigeonhole it, but that's exactly the way we like it.Essential now sounds.

(TD20) The Old Rig - "Space Crawl" cdr

Duo action from Frank Baugh (Sparkling Wide Pressure) and Patrick Singleton.Representing the deep south (Tennessee), these two could easily be crawling aliens sending us transmissions from a distant spaced out planet.The sonic message they've sent here is awesome in every way.Heavy, industrial grind mixed with hypnotic loops and lurching rhythms, all delivered with a sense of timing and patience that is excellent.

(TD 12) Simon Wickham-Smith “A Seventh Persimmon”

Words are tough when it comes to describing music this astoundingly beautiful.A leading figure in the worldwide experimental music community since the early 90s, Simon Wickham-Smith adds to his sizable body of work with this masterpiece.Three tracks clocking in at almost 60 minutes, Simon’s new work is the result of years spent honing his craft.His influences are drawn from sources far and wide, but the music that results is uniquely his own.Transcending genre altogether but most clearly informed by minimalism, this release is hypnotic, mysterious, and gorgeous.If you’ve followed the arc of his career, you’ll be pleased to see how mature and powerfully focused his musical vision has become.If you’re new to his world, it’s an excellent introduction.To say that it’s an honor for us to be releasing his music would be a massive understatement.A true classic.

(TD16) Our Love Will Destroy the World -"Broken Spine Fantasia" C30

Following an initial LP and a few singles on other labels, we present two thrilling live sides documenting recent shows in Australia and New Zealand from Campbell Kneale's new project post-Birchville Cat Motel. Kneale's been a massive personal favorite here at Tape Drift since he first hit the scene in 1997. Reborn in this new guise, he's taking no prisoners and leaving audiences stunned by the majestic power of his noisy epics. It's hard to imagine Campbell topping the peaks of his vast BCM catalog, but these two tracks are a dream come true and suggest he may just have done it. Massively brutal sound here - perhaps one of his noisiest yet, but of course it's got all the hidden melodic elements and attention to detail that you've come to know and love. A psychedelic noise master work that works amazingly well with the oxide of tape.

Magnetic North Duo -

"Static Fields Forever" cdr (TD11)

Debut release from Norwegian unit comprised of Sindre Bjerga on bass, electronics, tapes, and Nils Rostad on guitar. A zoned and droned out blast of a journey into other worlds yet unexplored. True mastery over sound is the goal here and these two have a stellar set of techniques helping them rise to the challenge. A mesmerizing and very rich sounding sculpture of auditory bliss. From a live set recorded in Norway, this is a project we are incredibly proud to be releasing.

Ophibre/Katchmare - "Divided Transmissions" C40 (TD13)

A perfectly matched split tape. First side is Ophibre from Boston. Usually known for his buzzing drone masterpieces, this one delves more into the electroacoustic vein, and finds rich treasures there. A live performance entitled "rowboat for laptop", it's a very very compelling listen, accumulating power as it goes along to its final conclusion. Second side is Katchmare, solo project of Nick Hoffman from Normal, Illinois. Anything but normal, this is a beautiful set of ghostly tones, haunted space, and electroacoustic invention. Very minimal yet very addictive.

6Magik9 - "Solid Space" cdr (TD14)

A lovely, meandering psychedelic record from mysterious Aussie collective headed by Michael Donnelly of the Brothers of the Occult Sisterhood. Grounded in the blues, but as filtered through a totally weirded out shamanistic sensibility, this one is a grower and a keeper. If you allow yourself into its world, it will work a magical sort of hypnotism, and unlock multiple secrets of the universe.

Enfer Boreal - "The Way of the Masks" cdr (TD15)

Following releases on Ikuisuus, Cut Hands, and Housecraft, France's Maxime Primault provides a massive headlong dive into the deep psych-laden abyss here. Patient ambient sounds, foreboding static drones, seismic sonic shifts, blasts of feedback, haunting melodic passages, and warped electronics all make appearances, tied together with care. When played loud, maximum escape velocity is reached in no time at all. His best work yet.

Read below for some press on previous releases...

Foxy Digitalis has once again hit the sweet spot, with a nice review of Century Plants SOUND SYSTEM SOUND: "On “Sound System Sound” Albany, New York’s Century Plants offer up a tense and spatial drone made up of slowly evolving loops and repeated riffs over two extended tracks. Taking the listener to a little explored space that exists somewhere between your typical heavy scuzzed out drone band and the early raga/blues jaunts of Matt Valentine. The structure of each of these half hour jams reveal some delicious slow burning riffs along with odd ambient sounds to boot. Upon first listen one expects the duo to somehow erupt into some blissed heavy-as-fuck riffage. But to the extreme pleasure of these ears they refrain from doing the expected and take the listener down a different path that unfolds and reveals much more than those riffs would have proven.

The first track “Glass” exemplifies the real ideal of the Century Plants so well one doesn’t even really need to hear the second “Glues” to be satifisfied with the disc. It begins with the trading of terse guitar lines, one real skuzzy the other equally so but run through a wah pedal. As the track moves on one can detect a faint whiff of some back woods blues blowing through the smoke and haze, but is soon decimated by a flow of molten sound. The track ends in a hazy bliss that never becomes overpowering, as enough space is left in the mix to ease the listener into the gentle meanderings of a guitar run through a wah peddle.

For the thirty-one minute closer, “Glue” the duo work up a more collective vibe and deliver the goods in the same manner as they did on “Glass.” Though good on its own “Glue” does not quite match the delicate interplay of the two distinct guitar voices heard on glass. That interplay is traded in for a more primitive heaviness. Century Plants have to be commended though, as “Glass” is really a hard one to follow up, and the album is better for not having a repeat of the previous. 8/10"

From the always intriguing Foxy Digitalis comes a review of CLOUD NINE from BURNT HILLS. Dig: "Primal. That’s the linguistic shortcut for succinctly describing free rock, noise rock, or virtually any other musical relative that does not possess the glossy sheen and over-blown production techniques riddling modern recorded music. There are at least two ways to interpret this word’s usefulness for describing sound. Probably the most common summons the earliest developments in rock’n’roll, whether that’s derivative Chuck Berry riffing or the swagger and jive of electrified Mississippi Delta emanations. Another possible reading connotes our stylized approximation of Neolithic mankind’s music—savage, violent, pulverizing. More or less the same way the word “Teutonic” tends to pop up in reviews of krautrock. This utterly scorched offering from upstate New Yorkers Burnt Hills belongs to the latter, as amplifier squall and guitar clatter act as fill for massive walls of loosely synchronized stadium rock beats.

For this outing, Burnt Hills appears as a basement nonet, cutting “Cloud Nine” in a single day with members trading instruments over the course of the fifty minutes and seven untitled tracks. Earlier in the summer, I attended the epochal 77BoarDrum event in Brooklyn. At that performance, seventy-four additional drummers added to the annihilating stomp of the current incarnation of Boredoms, guiding a euphoric series of simple melodies into the stratosphere. “Cloud Nine” acts as a perfect counter, utilizing its percussion army (of course, significantly inferior in size) to drive the listener blindingly into primordial muck and filth, choking and gagging. The rotating guitarists offer not even the faintest melody, as slashing lines declare aural warfare from the very outset. Four-track cassette fidelity only adds to the smoking haze. Without a constant eye on the stereo, the arbitrary shifting of tracks would be unnoticeable. My guess would be that this is an unedited live recording. I wanted to become jaded to this sound, but instead I was hypnotized (and thrashed about the room a bit from time to time). Unrelenting and for that reason alone, it soars. If they can keep it up, this collective will make substantial ripples in our small (but ever-growing) pool. As of right now, they’ve got a forthcoming LP on QBICO—a continuing mark of excellence—and the usual horde of discs and tapes. But don’t sleep. Pick up this one first.

The excellentAuxiliary Out blog has reviewed all 3 of our first releases! This is a blog to keep an eye on. Here's the review of SOUND SYSTEM SOUND:

This is the first installment of a week of Tape Drift reviews or what I’ve taken to calling: “Tape Drift reviews week”. Tape Drift is a new label out of upstate New York, and it has recently released its first batch of releases. In order of catalogue number, there is the subject of this review, Lizard in the Spring by (VxPxC), and Cloud Nine by Burnt Hills. Despite the label name, all three releases are CD-rs (I guess ‘CD-r Drift’ doesn’t have the same ring to it… bad joke, I know. Don’t rub it in.) and they are classily(? What is the adverb there?) packaged CD-rs at that. Each comes in a square slimline snapcase with a full color wraparound cover, release info and a paper doodad (band logo or info) of some sort pasted on the inside of the case. So anyway, they all look real nice but they ain’t nothin’ without the sounds, right? Luckily for the whole world the sounds within are pretty rad as well.

Sound System Sound is the debut release by Century Plants, who is a guitar duo of Eric Hardiman (dude who runs the label) and Ray Hare (dude who plays guitar in Century Plants). It runs through two tracks in about an hour’s time. The first, “Glass”, begins with some tremwah-ed guitar strums and shards of feedback and stays rather minimal for about half the tracks time. Then things start comin’ together, and real nicely too. Distorted drones and plenty of feedback debris start blasting out of the speakers and ride the xpressway to yr skull. There is a particularly harsh onslaught coming from one of the axemasters that erupts and pushes the whole thing over the top as if there weren’t enough heaving frequencies already zapping yr braincells. I also really dig that in the final minutes of this mayhem one of the dudes stops raging and starts jamming a little pretty arpeggio until the end. A nice little curve ball, before the whole thing grinds to a halt in a colossal feedback swell. So yeah, my mind is blown and the damn CD isn’t even halfway over.

The last track “Glue” opens with a rhythmic drone (kinda like banging on yr guitar while it’s feeding back) and continues the rhythmicness of the situation by one dude playing notes in pseudo-patterns and the other chap doing some feedback levitation and other magic tricks. They flirt with bludgeoning you but always leave just enough breathing room to ensure yr survival. The track builds to a slight but noisy crescendo and then retreats backs to a fizzy guitar drone lull, refueling for the next attack. Again they flirt with ripping your head off and with high pitched guitar shrapnel punching holes in the sonic fabric and before long instantaneously disappearing, only to reappear again to shred some more. I generally don’t read too much into titles, but “Glass” and “Glue” fit their respective audio counterparts pretty well. “Glass” is much more fractured and clattering while “Glue” retains a similar idea throughout the track, though it is stretched and manipulated, and absorbs all the incidental noise that arises into its mass.

I’m sucker for guitar duos and the C-Plants (it’s gonna catch on, just you wait) are definitely a nice addition to the canon, not only cause they’re good but because I haven't really heard anyone else do it quite what they do. I’m reminded a bit of Gabriel Mindel Saloman’s guitarwork and there are a few times that Hototogisu comes to mind but Century Plants are much more elastic in nature; rather than building layers upon layers of dense noise, there is a refreshing looseness to their music where no one sound sticks around for long or at least not in the same way. The C-Plant style is a constant tug-o-war between construction and collapse, and what happens when two people refuse to commit to either. I will say, though, that the tracks are both a bit long and take a while to get to where their going but that is kind of the nature of improvised sound, so, it’s not really a criticism, just a note.

Century Plants just saw their second release Fingers come out on Phantom Limb, and I have, on very good authority, that it sounds way different than this release so I’m hooked. Rumor is they got plenty more comin’ on Abandon Ship, MYMWLY, Cut Hands and Peasant Magik. Awww, our little tykes are growin’ up so fast, it just seemed like an hour ago I started listening to their debut release—though considering they thank Guy Picciotto in the liner notes, I’d venture to say they already made the big time. So Tape Drift is one for one so far, with some heavy hitters on deck, based on the strength of this one you may wanna slide on over to their site already. And considering each release is limited to twin editions of 50 (which is a like a single edition of 100, I’m guessing?), make it snappy.

Aquarius Records gave "Cloud Nine" a smashing review!! "Another glorious blast of blown out bong smoke free rock dope jams the way only these Burnt Hills cats can do it. ... Burnt Hills, on this particular evening in May of 2007 consisted of NINE members, seven guitars, five drummers, one bass, folks obviously swapping back and forth, and it sounds like it. A super fluid, chaotic confluence of sound. Like some lost subterranean Crash Worship Drum jam wrapped in thick sheets of Haino-like guitar skree, everything enveloped in thick clouds of smoky FX, like some musical opium den. The bass and the guitars are thick and slippery, swooping amidst the relentless percussion, and the wild squalls of psychedelic freakout. At times it almost sounds like some DJ rocking multiple turntables, playing several different No Neck and Sunburned Hand records as the same time, a blurry, drugged out free folk tribal mash up... Awesome."

The Ithaca Times Arts Blog (Popcorn Youth) was super nice and offered to interview us: Read it here!

Century Plants "Fingers" on Phantom Limb Recordings was released on July 17! From the Phantom Limb site: "Another upstate New York free-form group (must be something in the water?), Century Plants' two members hail from Albany and lay down some heavily crazed guitar action on this release (their second one). Featuring members of Burnt Hills, Century Plants have crafted a diverse world out of just three tracks, showing a complexity only outweighed by the passion that created it. For fans of Loren Mazzacane Connors or Lee Ranaldo... guitars that don't always sound like guitars. Hallelujah!"

Century Plants topped the COLD 100 on Noiseweek for the week ending June 24, 2007.

Burnt Hills playing the the FESTIVAL OF ENDLESS GRATITUDE. With Sunburned Hand of the Man, MV + EE & the Bummer Road, Soil Sing Through Me, Dredd Foole, Northampton Wools, and many MORE! July 28 & 29 in Brattleboro, Vermont. COME ON UP!